Chapter 39: We, the Loose Cultivators, Must Stick Together

Upon entering the east wing, Luo Chen realized why his room in the inverted seat house only cost the cheapest ten spirit stones a month.

Although the area wasn't as spacious, the layout was very reasonable.

Each window was positioned at the optimal point for lighting.

Moreover, it wasn't as cold in the evenings.

Compared to the warm and comfortable east wing, his room in the inverted seat house was like a warehouse combined with an ice cellar.

Luo Chen indulged in self-pity for a moment before happily sitting down at the dining table.

Feng Xia glanced at him and placed a bowl of spirit rice in front of him.

"Thank you, Sister Xia!"

Feng Xia replied, "No need to thank me, it's on Sister Xiuxiu."

Her voice, when she spoke, sounded like sandpaper rubbing together.

Luo Chen frowned and cautiously asked, "Sister Xia, your voice?"

"It's always been like this. When Sister Xia was testing medicines for the Hundred Herbs Hall in her early years, she accidentally ingested a poisonous herb. Although she was treated, her voice could only recover to this extent."

Bai Meiling sat down beside him, her tone somewhat low.

Only then did Luo Chen understand the reason.

It was clear that even working for a large company wasn't easy!

The Hundred Herbs Hall was just one of the many industries of the Medicine King Sect, but the work there was not without its dangers.

Like Feng Xia's job as a medicine tester, the pay was high, but the risks were also significant.

Common herbs, due to their growth environment and cohabitation with demonic beasts, often underwent unique mutations.

When conventional methods could detect the differences, it was fine.

But if they couldn't, the only option was to test them on the bodies of cultivators.

Feng Xia did this job.

In recent years, things had improved. The Hundred Herbs Hall in the Great River Market had hired new medicine testers, and she had started to take on some of the more refined processing work for the herbs.

"What are you talking about, the atmosphere is so heavy?"

Fu Xiuxiu walked over with a plate of steaming meat slices.

"Try it, this is the elbow meat of a Luo Lin Beast. I brought it back from the Divine Symbol Pavilion for you to taste."

Bai Meiling told her about their earlier conversation, and Fu Xiuxiu couldn't help but sigh.

"We, the loose cultivators, are like this. Either we live in the outer city with no guarantee of survival, or we are at the mercy of others in the inner city. Any job with slightly higher pay comes with a huge cost."

Upon hearing this, Bai Meiling and Feng Xia's faces turned somber.

Luo Chen, however, seemed somewhat carefree.

At the mercy of others?

That would require the ability to be at someone's beck and call.

Not to mention, in places like the Spirit Medicine Pavilion and the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower, the ones responsible for receiving guests were all young and beautiful female cultivators.

Male cultivators, like him, didn't even have the chance to be ordered around.

"So, we must help each other and stick together."

Fu Xiuxiu picked up the wine jug and poured a drink for everyone. Bai Meiling tried to do it herself but was stopped by Fu Xiuxiu.

"Living here means we have a connection. If any of us face difficulties in life or cultivation, we should help each other as much as we can."

"Although you just moved in, Xiao Luo, with Senior Sun's recommendation, your character and nature are undoubtedly fine."

"From now on, we are a family."

With that, she raised her glass.

Bai Meiling and Feng Xia also raised their glasses.

Luo Chen, however, was quite surprised.

Since arriving in this world, he had seen the chaos and killings in the outer city and the fierce competition among cultivators in the market for cultivation resources.

To be honest, it was quite brutal.

But it did align with his understanding of the cultivation world.

However, in this small quadrangle courtyard, there was a surprisingly warm and friendly side.

What was this, a cultivation world version of "A Full House in the Courtyard"?

He didn't do anything to ruin the mood and also raised his glass.

"To your health!"

"To your health!"

The clear and transparent wine was smooth and not harsh, with a faint fruity aroma.

Fu Xiuxiu smiled, "Eat, don't be so formal."

Bai Meiling was the first to pick up her chopsticks. After tasting a piece of stir-fried demonic beast meat, her eyes curved into a crescent moon.

"Sister Xiuxiu's cooking is the best!"

"You, if you like it, eat more. Xiao Luo, don't be shy, eat as much as you want. There's plenty of spirit rice in the pot."

"Okay, okay!"

A soft spot in Luo Chen's heart seemed to be touched.

His eyelids lowered, and he started eating faster.

Seeing this, Fu Xiuxiu gave him a piece of meat.

"Unfortunately, the Qin family has all gone to the Falling Cloud Sect. When they return, it will be a long time before we see Little Hu again."

"Yes, Little Hu has dual metal and water spiritual roots and is only twelve years old. With a clean background, he is the kind of disciple that major sects love," Bai Meiling said.

During his stay, Luo Chen had also learned about the family in the west wing.

Qin Liangchen and Duanmu Qinglian were both at the Ninth Layer of the Qi Condensation stage.

Their son, Little Hu, whose real name was Qin Yuanjiang, was born intelligent and had been carefully nurtured by his parents from a young age.

Various medicinal baths and spirit medicines were arranged for him every month.

At the age of eight, Little Hu was found to have dual metal and water spiritual roots.

They had initially planned to enroll him in the Jade Tripod Sword Sect, but the next open recruitment was still ten years away.

To avoid delaying his best cultivation time, Qin Liangchen and his wife took him to the Falling Cloud Sect in the Jade Tripod Domain to apply.

It was also a major sect, with Grand Elder Han Zhan of the Inner Sect having the potential to reach the Nascent Soul stage.

One could say it was a promising sect.

To feel more involved, Luo Chen interjected.

"Sister Caiyi isn't here either; she really enjoys good food."

However, upon saying this, Fu Xiuxiu visibly frowned.

But she quickly composed herself and shook her head.

"Gu Caiyi has a different schedule from us, so we rarely run into each other."

Luo Chen blinked and nodded, not saying anything more.

Women's affairs were the most complicated.

After the meal, Fu Xiuxiu brought out some fruits and pastries and set up a tea party in the courtyard under the moonlight.

Everyone spoke freely, discussing many topics.

For example, how the businesses of the six major sects in the inner city were doing, and how the shops of some smaller sects in the Jade Tripod Domain were being suppressed in the market.

Last year's joint auction, it was said, had a cultivator who obtained a treasure and was pursued for a year, recently returned to the Great River Market to argue with the organizers, the Jade Tripod Sword Pavilion.

He claimed that the Jade Tripod Sword Pavilion had leaked his information, putting him in danger.

The Jade Tripod Sword Pavilion, of course, denied it, using the name of the Jade Tripod Sword Sect to shame the cultivator into leaving.

Fu Xiuxiu's potential to join the outer sect of the Divine Symbol Sect as a manager was also mentioned.

If successful, Fu Xiuxiu would no longer be a rootless loose cultivator.

Even if she didn't stay in the Great River Market, she would have a better foundation elsewhere.

This made the others in the courtyard quite envious.

Everyone wanted to join a major sect; the benefits and treatment were excellent.

For example, dispatched disciples could return to the sect every ten years to enjoy a year of cultivation in a second-stage spirit vein, which was the most anticipated benefit.

The tea party didn't last long.

When the moon was high, everyone returned to their rooms to rest.

After all, Bai Meiling and the others had to work the next day.

"Put it here, put it here."

"Everyone, have some water!"

"Manager Liu, here are five spirit stones, please count them."

Ha ha, the two men laughed.

Five spirit stones, no need to count, it was obvious.

After putting away the spirit stones and chatting with Luo Chen for a bit, Manager Liu left the courtyard with a few early-stage Qi Condensation cultivators.

Luo Chen looked at the pile of bricks and stones, nodding in satisfaction.

The heat-insulating Yunsha bricks, the high-quality Xi Bai stone, and a pile of highly adhesive sulfur soil were all ready. His alchemy room could finally be built.

Without hesitation, Luo Chen rolled up his sleeves and started moving bricks to his room.

By noon, he had already begun laying the Xi Bai stone in a section of the inverted seat house.

Fu Xiuxiu woke up in the morning and brought out a bunch of potted plants to a sunny spot.

She occasionally pruned the branches and added a few packets of spirit fertilizer.

She saw the busy Luo Chen, greeted him, and then didn't disturb him.

By noon, Luo Chen looked at the initial form of the alchemy room, feeling a sense of accomplishment.

"I'm an alchemist with my own independent workspace!"

Seeing the satisfied and proud Luo Chen, Fu Xiuxiu smiled, "Xiao Luo, you will definitely become a famous alchemist known throughout the six domains!"

Luo Chen chuckled, "Of course, I'm a genius in alchemy!"

"Do you want to have lunch together? There are a few dishes left from yesterday."

"That's not right, but I won't refuse such a kind offer!"

Lunch was enjoyed by the two of them.

Fu Xiuxiu was a gentle woman with broad knowledge. She could easily answer Luo Chen's cultivation questions, something he had never experienced with Old Daoist Chen, Wang Yuan, or even Gu Caiyi.

As Fu Xiuxiu put it, she had once tried to reach the Foundation Establishment stage.

But without the help of a Foundation Establishment Pill, as a loose cultivator, she could only fail.

Since then, she had no unrealistic hopes for the Foundation Establishment stage.

Even her daily cultivation was just a long-standing habit.

"After eating two meals cooked by Sister Xiuxiu, I feel a bit embarrassed. Let me wash the dishes!"

Fu Xiuxiu pushed Luo Chen's hand away, "Men shouldn't do these things, I'll do it!"

Luo Chen, picking his teeth, stood at the kitchen door, watching Fu Xiuxiu in an apron washing the dishes by the sink.

Tears welled up in his eyes.

In his previous life, as a native Sichuan-Chongqing mixed-blood man, he had never enjoyed such treatment.

His only girlfriend's catchphrase was "I'm from the Sichuan mountains."

"Sister Xiuxiu, do you usually live at the Divine Symbol Pavilion?"

"Yes, there are rooms provided for managers there, equipped with a small spirit-gathering array, suitable for our cultivation."

"I see that many of your plants like sunlight. Just fertilizing them and keeping them in the room isn't good."

Luo Chen suggested, "Why not put them outside? I can help you take care of them."

He wasn't greedy for the Moonlight Grass, which had the wonderful effect of calming the mind and soul.

Putting the dishes on the rack, Fu Xiuxiu thought for a moment and then nodded.

"Thank you for your help."

Thank you to the following brothers for their support: Brand00's 10,000 Qidian coins, Lady Meishu's 500 Qidian coins, Remember to Drink Hot Water's 100 Qidian coins, Only Love Morning Light's 1,000 Qidian coins, and Sword-Wielding Uncle's 500 Qidian coins.

A new week has started, good morning everyone.

(End of Chapter)